Paper holder



March 13, 1962 Filed Oct. 26, 1959 H. A. TOULMIN, JR 3,025,082

PAPER HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 13, 1962 H. A. TOULMIN, JR 3,025,082

PAPER HOLDER Filed Oct. 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mllllllllllm assignor to The ten, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 848,589 1 Claim. (Cl. 28121) This invention relates to the binding together of stacks of sheets of paper and to methods of accomplishing the binding.

Many instances arise in which it is desired to fasten sheets of paper together. In book binding, for example, in making up of binders of notepaper for school work and the like, it is desirable for a plurality of sheets of paper to be supported in stacked relation and held together. It is also important for notebooks of this nature to be such that they can easily be opened so they Will lay substantially flat and to permit individual sheets to be removed therefrom or torn out without destroying the binding for the rest of the pack of paper.

In book binding also it is necessary for stacks of sheets of paper to be connected so they will hold firmly together while still retaining flexibility along the back of the book.

Heretofore, when pads of note paper have been connected together complex spiral wire binders or expensive plastic members have been employed, in both cases the hinder or fastener being threaded or otherwise mounted in holes provided along one side edge of the paper sheets.

Such fasteners or binders are also employed for retaining covers on opposite sides of the packs of paper. Such devices are difficult to put on the paper and are expensive and in many cases form a bulky ridge along the edge of the resulting pack of paper or notebook which can be objectionable.

Having the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a method of and devices for attaching stacks of paper sheets together while eliminating separate wire or plastic fastening members.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an arrangement and method for fastening paper sheets together to form notebook packs or the like in which bulky fastening devices such as wire spiral or plastic clips and the like are eliminated.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a means for fastening packs of paper sheets together which will permit the opening of the pack so that a substantially flat surface is presented for writing.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a method for securing paper sheets together which can be carried out readily at the time of making the paper sheets thus eliminating an extra handling operation.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a paper pack' with the sheets inter-connected according to my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view indicated by line 2-2 on FIGURE 1 showing one of the regions of attachment of the sheets to each other;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view drawn at greatly enlarged scale showing the fastening means and its relation to the individual sheets;

FIGURE 4 is a view like FIGURE 1 but shows how the pack opens so the pages can be written upon;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view showing one manner in which the fastening together of the sheets can be accomplished;

FIGURE 6 is a view like FIGURE 5 but shows the device for applying the fastening material in operation;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 1 but shows how the fastening together of the paper sheets 3,025,982 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 could be accomplished by placing the fastening means in elongated slots in the sheets.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view similar to FIGURES 5 and 6 but Showing the manner in which the rod-like plastic fastening member could be supplied to small holes in the sheets;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view similar to FIGURES l and 7 but showing the sheets fastened together with the rod like elements applied according to FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view drawn at enlarged Scale showing one of the rod-like elements of FIGURES 8 and 9 at one end thereof;

FIGURE 11 is a view showing a modified manner in which the fastening material could be supplied to the holes in the paper sheets; and

FIGURE 12 is a View similar to FIGURE 11 but showing still another modified arrangement for applying the fastening material.

In FIGURE 1 the pack of paper is indicated at 10 and this pack of paper has a plurality of holes 12 extending therethrough and within which holes are the plastic sleeves 14 preferably molded or cast or otherwise applied in situ and which serve to bind the sheets of paper together. The sheet may be provided with score lines at 16 so that the pack may be opened up as indicated in FIGURE 4 so that the sheets may be written upon.

FIGURE 2 shows at somewhat enlarged scale the plastic member 14 which, it will be seen, is in the form of a sleeve having end portions 18 projecting over the outermost sheets of paper pack 10.

As will be seen in FIGURE 3, the outer surface of the plastic sleeve is intermittently engaged with the periphery of the hole or aperture through the stack of paper as is indicated by the reference numeral 20 and this serves tightly to retain the sheets of paper in place and also permits sheets of paper to be torn from the pack without detracting from the binding effect of the sleeve.

A feature of my invention is in the manner of applying the plastic material along the surface of the holes through the paper pack.

In FIGURE 5 it will be seen that the pack 10 is placed on an anvil or like member 22 with a clamp member 24 engaging the top of the pack so that the sheets are held tightly together.

A foraminous member 26 is arranged for introduction through clamp 24 into the hole through the paper pack and this foraminous member may be a screen or a fabric bag or the like. A supply of plastic is delivered to the inside member 26 by pipe 28 and this plastic is then forced outwardly through the aperture of foramina in the member 26 by a reciprocable plunger 32.

As will be seen in FIGURE 6; reciprocation of the plunger will cause a supply of the plastic material to the periphery of the hole and also cause the end portions 18 of the plastic sleeve to be formed thereon.

This plastic material may be any of several plastics which are elastomeric by nature, polyethylene for example, is one plastic material that can be used to advantage in this situation.

As will be seen in FIGURE 11, the plastic material could also be applied by spraying it under pressure from a perforated spray head 34 introduced into the hole simultaneously with the advance of the clamp member 36 into clamped position.

Further, it is possible for the plastic material to be brushed on as indicated in FIGURE 12 in which there is a reciprocating tube 38 having a brush 40 at its lower end which is supplied with plastic material via the interior of tube 38. The plastic material is supplied under pressure and the brush is reciprocatecl once or twice through the hole in the paper and this will apply a coating of plastic therealong which ties the sheets of paper together and forms a continuous and unbroken sleeve of plastic material through the hole.

As will be seen in FIGURE 8 the paper pack could be provided with smaller holes 42 and there could be formed therein a slot rod 44 of elastomeric plastic material. This rod could advantageously be cast directly in the hole of the paper by being introduced in a fluid condition via tube 46, but the rod could be placed in the tube in a solid condition and the ends thereof formed outwardly by the application of heat and pressure if so desired.

A paper pack 48 having rods 50 as described above binding the sheets together is illustrated in FIGURE 9 and FIGURE illustrates how the rods 50 are provided with heads 52 thereon and how the outer surface of the rod deform into interengagement with the paper sheets as at 54. The paper packs referred to above have all been provided with round holes thereon but it will be evident that any of the arrangements and procedures referred to would be applicable to paper packs having holes of other shapes therein and including elongated slot-like holes as indicated at 56 in FIGURE 7.

In any case, a continuous elastomeric plastic element extends through the holes and binds the sheets of paper together. Where the elastomeric plastic elements are in the form of tubes, the pack of paper can be placed between covers that are inter-connected by elements extending through the tube and this will provide for a paper pack having covers thereon. It will also be evident that the covers could be placed on opposite sides of the paper pack at the time of forming the plastic tubes or rods therein and that the covers would then be integrally united with the paper pack. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIGURE 13 wherein the paper pack 58 has front and back covers 60 and 62 with a plastic sleeve or tube 64 being cast, molded, or otherwise applied in situ to the combined pack and covers.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a binder for attaching a stack of paper sheets in the form of a pack, said pack of sheets having a plurality of registering aperture means forming a hole through the pack adjacent one side edge, plastic resin means extending through said hole and binding each of said paper sheets together with a film of said resin and constituting a binder for said sheets to form the pack, said resin means comprising an integral portion engaging the peripheral surface of said hole from end to end of said pack and extending over the pack and at both sides around the periphery of the hole, and providing a resilient plastic means for tightly holding the pack of sheets together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

